Scottsdale will explore the possibility of buying land for its McDowell Sonoran Preserve, a move that could prevent the sale of property that is home to Greasewood Flat.

This week, the Scottsdale City Council gave direction for the city to look into buying a portion of a 120-acre parcel northeast of Pinnacle Peak Road and 128th Street in northeast Scottsdale.

Scottsdale could buy 40 or more acres of the parcel for its preserve, which already abuts the 120 acres.

George Cavalliere is trustee of the land and could decide to sell it to the city, using proceeds from the sale to pay bills.

Paying the bills would prevent the need to sell Greasewood and the surrounding 42 acres of property at Alma School Parkway and Pinnacle Vista Drive, taking that property off the market, a member of the Cavalliere family said.

“Our interest is, we have a private property owner who has land immediately adjoining to the preserve,” said Kroy Ekblaw, Scottsdale’s preserve director. “They have offered through contact with staff and the council that they might be interested in selling.”

The sale of the land to Scottsdale could raise funds to save the separate 42-acre property that is home to the Greasewood Flat saloon. The 42 acres make up the estate of George “Doc” Cavalliere, who died in 2009.

The money raised from the sale to Scottsdale could allow a trust set up upon Cavalliere’s death to pay about $1 million in estate taxes and $1.5 million on a line of credit, preventing the sale of the 42 acres, according to a family member.

On Nov. 20, a court commissioner will reopen bidding to sell the Cavalliere trust’s 42 acres, which also includes the now closed Reata Pass Steakhouse.

“Here’s an opportunity to maybe acquire a nice piece of land (and) maybe help save Greasewood Flat,” Scottsdale Councilman Bob Littlefield said. “We ought to at least look at it.”

The trust established by Cavalliere before his death lists six beneficiaries. Four are relatives — his son, George, and the three sons of his late daughter.

Hoyt Johnson III, the father of the three sons, said his sons proposed the new option to save Greasewood.

The trustee for the land the city would buy is George Cavalliere, Doc’s son, Johnson said.

George Cavalliere declined to comment.

Scottsdale could use revenue from its preserve sales tax to potentially buy a portion of the 120 acres, Ekblaw said.

The new option would need to be brought up at a final hearing to decide the Greasewood property case in Maricopa County Probate Court on Wednesday, Nov. 20.

“It’s a way for them to get the money to save their property,” said Councilman Guy Phillips, who initiated the new option to go before the council. “If we can get this property at a price worth for us getting for the preserve, I’m willing to do it.”

On Tuesday, the council voted 4-2 to further explore the purchase of 40 or more acres.

Council members Suzanne Klapp and Linda Milhaven were opposed. Mayor Jim Lane was absent after visiting China and Taiwan. He was scheduled to return to Scottsdale on Nov. 13.

Ekblaw said the city’s motivation “has nothing to do with the Greasewood property” but rather the city’s interest in acquiring land for the 27,800-acre preserve.

He said all or a portion of the 120 acres of property has not been appraised.

In the last year and a half, property in that area has sold for $30,000 to $40,000 an acre for undevelopable land, to upward of $150,000 an acre for developed improved lots, Ekblaw said.

Milhaven said she was not “interested in having staff spend a lot of time on this.”

Klapp said she didn’t understand why the idea went before the council first, rather than Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission, which considers matters related to the preserve.

Vice Mayor Virginia Korte asked how the potential purchase could impact the total dollars remaining for other preserve land purchases.

“I think that probably one of the most important questions we need to ask is, (what is) the impact of this acquisition with respect to those parcels that have already been prioritized and vetted through the public process and through the Preserve Commission?” she asked.

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